Background Memo Produced for Congressional Hearing on MMA set for Thursday

On Thursday, Randy Couture, Marc Ratner, Dr. Kristen Dams-O’Connor and Greg Sirb will testify before a Congressional Subcommittee discussing MMA and the proposed bill which would expand the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act to combat sports.

Currently, there are 7 co-sponsors to the bill introduced by Republican congressman Marwayne Mullin in May 2016.

“Perspectives on Mixed Martial Arts,” as the hearing is entitled will start on 10:00 a.m. ET on Thursday.  Couture, Ratner and Pennsylvania’s Athletic Commissioner Gregory Sirb will testify.  Also added is Dr. Kristen Dams-O’Connor, Director, Brain Injury Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Since May 2016, the proponents of the bill have been actively lobbying Washington D.C. to garner support from legislators.  On the other side, the UFC has spent money to lobby against the passage of the bill.

With news that Dana White is interested in promoting boxing, the bill has a new twist depending on the structure of the anticipated UFC Boxing promotion.

The background statement for the hearing has been produced and is below.

HHRG-115-IF17-20171109-SD003 by JASONCRUZ206 on Scribd

Among the topics that may be explored at the hearing:

-How has MMA evolved and changed since its beginnings in the early 1990s? Do these changes suggest a need for new business or regulatory approaches?

-How does MMA compare to other combat sports? Do any similarities or differences offer insights into public policy options?

-How does current regulation of MMA protect the interests of fans, fighters, and sponsors? Are there areas for improvement?

Payout Perspective:

MMA Payout will have a breakdown of the testimony taken on Thursday.  While I don’t expect anything earth shattering, I anticipate that this is a sign of attempting to determine the level of support out there is for the bill.  The bill is far from a vote in the House, but the hearing is a step in the right direction.  It will be interesting to see the level of education on the subjects in MMA will take place and the advocacy by the parties.